Why are Apple users so quick to recommend me Android when I point out this particular flaw with iOS? And yes, I do consider distrusting the owner's software installation preferences to be a flaw, especially when Apple is certainly capable of maintaining a robust and safe third-party distribution ecosystem on macOS. The Mac isn't demonstrably less secure because you have a sanctioned way to install Steam onto it. Likewise, Apple doesn't lose the ability to maintain the quality of the Mac App Store because people might get their apps on Steam.

"Safer for kids" isn't a factor here; Apple already provides tools for parents to lock down their children's devices should that be necessary. This would also presumably have an option (or default) to disable third-party apps, in the same way parents can already disable specific App Store and built-in apps.

The Mac is demonstrably less secure than iOS, and there is much less incentive for bad actors to target the Mac because of its tiny market share.

Or, you know, you could just not use any other app store on iPhone and continue to use Apple's and it'll still work fine.

And let others use the Epic app store for Fortnight.

> less control over the experience on their platform

I value the customer's ability to install programs of their choosing on a phone they purchased. It seems strange that we see it as desirable to concentrate authority over billions of devices this way. Taking a step back, it's sort of a "what could possibly go wrong" scenario.

Safer for kids who aren't in Hong Kong, presumably.

A single source of application signing will always be abused to entrench dangerous governments and prejudice. It is toxic, and needs to be outlawed.